Episode 14 Eggheads

These people are amongst the greatest quiz players in Britain.

Together they make up the Eggheads, arguably

the most formidable quiz team in the country.

Question is - can they be beaten?

Welcome to Eggheads, the show where

a team of five quiz challengers

pit their wits against, possibly, the greatest quiz team in Britain.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the might of our quiz goliaths today are ...

Now, the majority of this team met whilst attending

the same girls' grammar school in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Let's meet them...

Hi, I'm Alice, I'm 18 and a geography student.

Hi, I'm Fran, I'm 18 and I'm on my gap year.

Hi, I'm Rebecca, I'm 19 and I'm a history student.

Hi, I'm Natalie, I'm 18 and I'm a maths student.

Hi, I'm Rosie, I'm 18 and I'm a French student.

Welcome to you, The Shottery Bears. Now, OK, you can explain the

Shottery bit to me, what about the bears? Why have you

come up with this team name, Alice?

Shottery is the area where our school was and that's where the majority

of us met and then the bear... it's kind of like

a school mascot type thing, so, that's where the name came from.

OK, so is it a cuddly bear? Is it native to the area?

-Have you got bears running round...?

-It is a cuddly bear,

I've got one in my room at university to remind me of school so...

OK, so you've all left school now and doing various

things at university or gap years, things like that?

Yep, four of us are at Bristol University

and Fran here is on a gap year.

OK, and doing some quizzing together, then?

Well, we partook in quizzes when we were actually at school

but since then I'm afraid we are a bit rusty!

LAUGHTER

OK, well, I'm sure it will all come together as you take on

the Eggheads.

Cuddly bears, this lot, rather than Shottery Bears.

Every day there's £1,000 worth of cash up for grabs

for our challengers. However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads

the prize money rolls over to the next show

so, Shottery Bears, the Eggheads have won just the last game

and that means £2,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads today.

And we shall start with our opening head-to-head,

an attempt by you to knock an Egghead out and it's...

to start us. Who'd like to play this?

-I think we all know.

-Fran. Fran, go for it.

-That's you, Fran, is it?

-Yep.

And you can choose any of those five Eggheads.

-I think they are all good at Science, maybe Dave.

-Shall we choose Dave?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Can we have Dave, please?

-You certainly can.

Dave, into the Question Room, please, along with Fran.

So, Fran, tell me what you're doing with your gap year.

Erm, I'm actually working as a care worker for a student at Warwick.

Erm, which is great, cos I want to do medicine next year so,

it's great work experience and also, she's absolutely lovely so...

Yeah, good stuff, and you mention studying medicine so...

that's good for the Science round,

so do you have all three sciences at A level?

No, I did chemistry and biology at A level

but I hated chemistry!

LAUGHTER

But I soldiered through it and so got my A levels,

which was lucky, so...

Do you think any of your old teachers will be watching?

I hope so, if so... "Hi!" But, they were all great teachers

so they are partly responsible for my grades, I think.

OK, let's hope you get a good grade in this particular examination,

it's quite short and it will determine whether you're playing

in the final round or not. Do you want to go first or second?

I'd like to go second, please.

So, you thought that through - it means Dave starts for the Eggheads.

Dave, tetanus is also known by what name?

Erm, let me think of this.

Is whooping cough pertussis?

And German measles is rubella.

Tetanus is lockjaw.

Lockjaw is correct. Well done, Dave.

OK.

We'll have your first question, Fran.

Which sub-atomic particle has a negative electric charge?

Erm, well... it's an electron!

-Yeah! Really nothing to add to that.

-Yeah!

-That is the right answer.

It has a negative electric charge.

Dave, the astronaut Jack Swigert went into space as part of which

Apollo mission?

Right, let me have a think about this.

My gut instinct is it's not Apollo 11 cos that was the moon landing one.

Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong.

I'm not too sure about Apollo 9 but it makes... mmm...

But the abortive Apollo 13 mission...

..could be one that he was on so I'll go for Apollo 13.

OK... you say abortive, and that rescue mission

and made into a great film...

Apollo 13 it is, Jack Swigert on Apollo 13.

Dave goes into a 2-1 lead but only because Fran hasn't faced

a second question. We'll put that to you now, Fran.

Which of these creatures is native to Africa?

Erm... I don't actually know that much about this, erm...

Oh...! Erm, I don't think it's a sloth.

I know they have a lot of wildebeest on savanna grassland

and things like that.

I'm not really sure what a tapir is...

I'm going to go with wildebeest.

Just as well, after you said on the savanna in Africa, yes,

that would be the right answer, well done!

2-2. Dave, what was the first name of the inventor and engineer

after whom the Bessemer process is named?

I'm glad another name isn't there cos that would've

caused me a problem, but I don't think it's William or James,

I think it's Henry...

Henry Bessemer, OK, that is correct. What's the other name

-you were worried about?

-I've got something in my head about Thomas.

-Yeah.

-You know... I'm glad that didn't come up.

But Henry Bessemer is the right answer, which means you are under

a little bit of pressure, Fran, but dealt with it so far.

Let's go into Sudden Death, shall we? Get this right.

Which British mathematician finally proved

Fermat's Last Theorem in the 1990s?

I've no idea!

LAUGHTER

Erm...

I think I'm just going to go with the name which looks most appealing!

I'm going to say GH Hardy but I have no idea.

Fermat's Last Theorem... but who proved it in the 1990s?

It was...

-Oh!

-And that's the end of the round because Dave was quizzing first.

He's already got three and you haven't matched that.

Means you won't be playing in the final round, Fran.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, Fran, a lot of Challengers take the first set of questions,

how would you have been with Dave's? Fine with tetanus, probably the

Bessemer process but what about that astronaut?

-No.

-In all honesty.

-In all honesty! My strongest is biology,

I love biology but anything outside, physics or maths,

-is just not my forte!

-And then hit with that curveball on maths

which Natalie would have got, the maths student.

But as it stands The Shottery Bears have lost one brain from the

final round, the Eggheads haven't lost any. Such early days though

and we move on to our next subject today and this one's...

And I've got an inkling about who might be playing this, Alice.

LAUGHTER

-Yeah, pressure's on me, I'll take that, please!

-OK.

You have to, don't you?

Alice, who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

It can't be Dave, any of the other four.

ALL: CJ?

-Can I take CJ, please?

-Yes, you can. OK, you might have to

-show him the way to the Question Room.

-Might do.

Let's have Alice and CJ in that Question Room, please.

So, Alice, you're captaining the team today

and you're a bit of a daredevil, aren't you,

what with all this bungee jumping and skydiving and things like that?

Yeah, I've made a list of things to do before I die

and they were... I know that's a long way off, hopefully!

But they were top of the list so I thought I'd do that first.

OK, so you've got those out of the way, bungee jumping

and skydiving, what else is on the list?

Well, I'd like to go wing walking. That's hopefully a birthday treat -

-Mum and Dad, take note!

-OK.

All right, here's another test for you, another thing

you would add to that list - beating an Egghead, I suspect,

-in the head-to-head.

-That would be good, yes.

OK, it's Geography, which is your subject,

would you like to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please, Dermot.

Alice going first and here's your question.

Politically and economically Iceland is considered part

of which continent?

OK, I'm fairly sure it's Europe, I just don't think it would be Asia

geographically, and North America, it's the next closest one

except Europe but, yeah, Europe's my answer.

Europe for Iceland, yes, that's the right answer.

Good start, Alice.

CJ, Newquay is a coastal town in which county?

As long as we get the English geography stuff out of the way first

I'm quite happy...

Newquay is the Mecca for surfers in Cornwall.

Yes, it is.

So, it's all square at 1-1 and back to you, Alice.

Which of these countries lies on the equator?

OK, again, I'm not 100% sure.

I know where they are... I can picture Africa in my mind.

I don't think it's Nigeria cos I think that must be further north

from the equator.

-I think I'll go for Botswana.

-OK. Botswana on the equator?

It's not Nigeria but it ain't Botswana either,

it's Kenya.

On the equator. So, a chance for the lead for CJ.

What is the capital, CJ, of Bahrain?

Er... I always get these the wrong way round.

It's not Doha. Manama and Amman, which one's which?

I think Amman is Bahrain

but I'm just trying to think where Manama is.

Mm, I'm a little worried here cos I can't remember where Manama is.

And this is all my lack of practice but I think Amman is Bahrain so,

-Amman.

-OK.

I think I know where Manama is... it's...

er, the capital of Bahrain. Oh, dear.

LAUGHTER

-Oh, dear.

-Amman's Jordan.

-Of course it is!

-Yeah.

Both with wonky compasses there.

Not read your atlases close enough on the second question.

Both failing on that so that's very good news, Alice,

stays all square and this will put you into the lead

if you get this right.

Which of these is a lake on New Zealand's North Island?

Erm, I do not know the answer to this, I'll just say that outright.

So, I'm afraid this is going to have to be a guess...

Going to go for Te Anau.

OK, Te Anau.

It's not right.

Anyone know? CJ?

-Taupo.

-Is the one we were looking for.

So, CJ, this will win the round for you if you get it right.

What is the approximate population of Malaysia?

It's got to be bigger than 29 cos Kuala Lumpur is enormous.

It's an enormous country.

Even 49 seems quite small to me for Malaysia.

Not sure but I'll have to go for 69 million.

69 million, right up there, populous nation.

But not quite that populous.

In actual fact a long way from being that populous, it is 29 million.

Oh, dear. Population of Malaysia. So we go into Sudden Death.

It's all square and, Alice, to sort out a winner we are

going to remove those options, so can you just tell me

without anything to choose from,

what is the monetary unit of Ecuador?

I can't tell you, is the answer to that so...

Well, have a guess.

Er...

-I have no idea, I'm going to have to pass.

-You sure? Have a little think

-and throw me out a currency.

-No, nothing's coming to me.

-Pass, please.

-Really? OK, OK.

-CJ, do you know, just out of interest...

-Peso?

-No. Other Eggheads?

-US dollar, I think.

It is the dollar, the US dollar.

Oh, dear, a blank there for Alice, so, CJ, you win through

if you get this.

For what does the letter B stand in the abbreviation CBD

referring to the geography of urban areas?

I have no idea.

City something density maybe? Erm...

Oh, I wonder if it's something building density?

Urban would certainly fit with building, wouldn't it?

-I will try building.

-OK, B for building.

No.

-Alice, do you know?

-I think it's business.

-Yeah.

-What does CBD stand for?

-Central Business District.

Yeah, Central Business District!

CJ got it in the end after you prompted him.

Central Business District, B for business.

OK, nothing there and unfortunately, we can't pass it over, Alice,

or you'd be through. Can you tell me this?

MB is the postal abbreviation of which Canadian province?

OK, well, I'm trying to think of Canadian provinces beginning with M

and Manitoba is the only one jumping out at me,

so, I'm going to go with Manitoba.

OK, you've got a B in there as well

and you've got the right answer, MB, Manitoba.

-LAUGHTER

-Great news.

And, CJ, Venice and Verona are located

in which Italian region?

Don't know the regions.

What have you got...

Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia...

don't know where any of them are!

HE LAUGHS

Well, Venice is up in the north and I think that's where Tuscany is,

I'll blind guess at Tuscany.

DERMOT LAUGHS

-I don't know.

-No, CJ!

-No idea.

-You really don't.

Not Tuscany. Other Eggheads?

-Veneto.

-Veneto. Veneto.

V-E-N-E-T-O.

CJ just as bamboozled there. No, it's not Tuscany,

-which means great news, Alice!

-ALL: Yes!

You're in the final round.

Thank you.

Well played, would you both please come back and join your teams?

That's looking better for The Shottery Bears,

both teams now have lost one brain from the final round.

And our next subject today...

Who'd like to play this one?

Can't be Fran or Alice, any of the other three.

-Maybe... who do you think?

-Rosie or Natalie, maybe?

Are you OK with that?

Yeah!

-Rosie, it's going to be you?

-Yeah.

OK, stay with us and choose an Egghead, remembering that CJ

and Dave have played so far so you can choose from Kevin, Pat or Barry.

THEY DISCUSS

OK, Kevin, please.

OK, Kevin, right, see if you can winkle Kevin out.

Let's have Rosie and Kevin into the Question Room, please.

So, Rosie, how keen are you on Film & Television?

Well, Alice knows that I brought a lot of films to uni

in case I get bored, so I'm quite on that

but I haven't been able to watch TV since I've got here so I'm not too

up to date but, yeah, I'm all right!

OK, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

OK, Rosie kicking off this Film & Television round

and your first question, Rosie, is this...

which superhero appears in the 2013 film Man Of Steel?

I know it's not Spider-Man

and pretty sure it's not Batman.

I haven't actually seen it but I'm pretty sure it's Superman.

Yeah, the man of steel himself, Superman, of course,

that's the right answer. Well done and a good start.

Kevin, which EastEnders character was the twin brother

of Pauline Fowler?

That's going back to the early days of EastEnders, isn't it?

I don't think either of the others would fit

so I'm going for Pete Beale.

Pete Beale as Pauline Fowler's twin brother?

Yep, right answer, well done, Kevin.

And, Rosie - which character in Neighbours was played for

many years by Anne Haddy?

Erm, I'm not great on Neighbours, I've only seen it twice.

So I'll just have to guess for this one...

I'm going to go with...

Erm...

Nell Mangel.

A complete guess.

OK, Nell Mangel, played by Anne Haddy in Neighbours?

I know you're a big fan, Kevin, is it Nell Mangel?

That's been misreported to you, Dermot, I'm afraid.

-I've got an idea it was Madge Bishop but I'm not certain.

-No!

No. I'm sure Dave knows, you like your soaps, Dave.

-It's Helen Daniels.

-It is Helen Daniels, Rosie.

So, you were both wrong but it's you that doesn't get the point, Rosie,

so Kevin's second question - what is the profession of

Matthew McConaughey's character in the 1996 film A Time To Kill?

I think that was probably the... not necessarily the first film based

on a John Grisham novel but it's based on a John Grisham novel

and like a lot of characters in those he's a lawyer.

Yeah, if you mention John Grisham you usually end up with the law.

It's the right answer, Kevin, so you need to get this, Rosie.

For which film did Woody Allen win his first Oscar?

I haven't seen Interiors. I'm a big fan of Annie Hall.

Lots of my friends from school call me Annie!

And Manhattan I've seen but I don't know that well

so I'm going to go for Annie Hall.

OK, cos you're a big fan and you get called it.

-Why do they call you that?

-Cos I can be a bit ditsy sometimes!

Never(!) Certainly not ditsy on that answer, it's correct.

So, it's all square but you've got to cross your fingers

and hope Kevin doesn't get this.

Kevin, in the TV show Dexter the main character

works for which police force?

I believe he's a technician, blood technician, that sort of thing,

for the Miami police force.

Miami...

it's the right answer, Kevin. You're through to the final round,

bad luck, Rosie, just the one slip-up there

but, as you know with these Eggheads it often can

prove to be conclusive and it has done so for you,

it means you won't be playing in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

After that round the standings are these, The Shottery Bears

have lost two brains from the final round

and the Eggheads have lost one

and our next subject - the last head-to-head before

the final round is...

Who'd like to play this? There's two of you eligible,

-Rebecca or Natalie.

-I'll take one for the team.

LAUGHTER

OK, Rebecca, now choose your Egghead carefully.

There are only two to choose from, it's Pat or Barry.

-Erm... Barry?

-Yeah.

-Barry.

-Barry, OK, let's have Rebecca and Barry into the

Question Room, please.

OK, about to play.

-So, Rebecca, do you play any sports yourself?

-I play a bit

of netball and since going to uni I have played a new sport called

korfball as well, so, a bit but I'm not a huge follower of sport.

I've heard of korfball, what does it involve?

Yeah, it's like mixed netball and anyone can shoot,

the goals are really high - it's quite intense but really good fun.

Yes, it makes a lot more sense.

Watching netball - it must be quite frustrating, you know, when you

get into a good position and you're not allowed to shoot yourself.

-Yeah, exactly, it's more fun if everyone can!

-Absolutely.

And I believe you've got quite a menagerie of pets - what is it?

Two cats, two dogs, a turkey and some chickens?

Are they with you at university?

Unfortunately not, I wish they were but, no, they're all at home.

OK, now let's play the round, you get to choose,

do you want to go first or second?

Can I go first, please?

OK, good luck, Rebecca, first question...

which of these footballers announced his retirement in May 2013?

OK, my brother's going to be really embarrassed

if I get this wrong cos it would have been on the news a lot

and I should know it...

I don't... Has David Beckham retired? I don't know.

Oh, my goodness, I'll go with Zinedine Zidane.

OK, Zizou, as his nickname is. Has David Beckham retired?

-Well, he hasn't retired from being David Beckham but, er...

-Oh, he has.

He has retired from football, yes, it's David Beckham.

Is your brother keen on football, I take it?

Keen enough to know that and be embarrassed if I got it wrong!

OK, well, I'm sure you'll make up ground

as we continue with the quiz

but nothing there. And, Barry, your first question -

which Test cricket ground is located in Nottingham?

I've spent many happy hours in Headingley,

which, of course, is in Leeds,

and Edgbaston is in Birmingham so Trent Bridge is in Nottingham.

Yeah, many ways of getting that and you chose that one.

It's the right answer, yes, Barry.

OK, Rebecca, which of golf's Major championships is traditionally

the final Major of the season?

Erm, I don't know.

I don't think it's the PGA.

It probably is, now I've said that, so, I think I'll

go with The Open.

OK, The Open as the final Major of the season?

It's not and you've done it again! You said, "I don't think

"it's David Beckham," and it was and it is the US PGA.

-Oh, dear.

-The season closer in terms of the Major golf tournaments.

So...

is this going to be the closing question in this round?

Barry, the former bantamweight boxing world champion

John Michael Johnson had what nickname?

I think he had a nickname from one of the Flintstones' children,

I think he was called Bam Bam.

I was wondering where that came from...

yes, of course, yeah, it is correct and it's Bam Bam

and bye-bye to Rebecca, I'm afraid there.

Nothing for you...

Just unlucky really, I suppose, with a couple of guesses there

but not in the final round, Rebecca.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

And so this is what we've been playing towards,

it's time for the final round which, as always, is General Knowledge.

But, those of you who lost your head-to-heads won't be allowed

to take part in this round.

So, Fran, Rebecca and Rosie from The Shottery Bears

and CJ from the Eggheads, would you leave the studio, please?

So, Alice and Natalie, you're playing to win The Shottery Bears

£2,000.

Pat, Dave, Kevin and Barry - you're playing for something which

money cannot buy - listen intently, Eggheads, cos you don't know.

It is the Eggheads' reputation.

Now, I ask each team three questions in turn and this time the questions

are all General Knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

So, Shottery Bears, the question is - are your two brains

better than the Eggheads' four? Mm, and, Alice and Natalie,

what are you going to do, are you going to go first or second?

-It's up to you, I don't mind.

-Go second.

-OK.

We're going to go second, please.

OK, hoping for an early slip-up from the Eggheads

and so the first question goes to them.

Eggheads, the members of which of these pop duos

were born in Dublin on October 16th 1991?

Going Jedward, aren't we?

-The Grimes brothers.

-The Grimes brothers.

-Yeah.

It's nice to think of The Cheeky Girls as being Irish but...!

Let's hope they've put a plaque up for the Grimes brothers,

-Jedward were born...

-Jedward.

-..in Dublin.

Second only to One Direction in CJ's affections.

LAUGHTER

-Jedward it is.

-John and Edward Grimes.

Born on October 16th 1991.

Well identified, Eggheads. I'm sure you would have got that, as well.

OK, but this is your first question.

How old was Ronald Reagan when he became US President?

It's definitely older than 49.

Yeah, I'm thinking...

Even older than that, 69.

I think you probably have a better chance of getting it than me so...

Yeah, I think he was getting on!

LAUGHTER

-Say 69?

-69. You think he was getting on a bit?

It's the right answer, yeah, 69. A year off 70.

And was he the eldest president, does he remain the...?

ALL: Yeah.

The oldest to be elected.

OK, Ronald Reagan at the age of 69.

OK, Eggheads...

which of these London museums features a replica of a

diplodocus skeleton in its main hall?

ALL: Natural History. Yeah, yeah.

I think that's a famous centrepiece in the great hall

of the Natural History Museum.

Natural History Museum...

it's the right answer, Eggheads, you got that.

Right, well, back to The Shottery Bears.

Good start, Alice and Natalie, let's build on it.

Which DJ began his run as presenter of the popular

music programme Junior Choice in 1968?

Yeah, any ideas at all?

-No.

-This is going to be a guess.

-Bob Harris is calling to me.

-I don't know why!

-Let's answer the call of Bob Harris then!

I think we are going to choose Bob Harris on a whim.

OK, Bob Harris, you think.

"Whispering" Bob.

It is not Bob Harris. No, do you know, Eggheads?

Ed "Stewpot" Stewart.

Ed Stewart, not Bob Harris.

Ed Stewart, so the Eggheads have a chance here to win the game.

John Sawers became the chief of which government agency

in 2009?

-I've got an inkling it's MI6.

-There's an implication

-that he's still...

-MI6.

-I think so, yes.

Because...

as we speak, the head of MI5 is Andrew Harker, isn't it?

I don't think it's GCHQ, John Sawers was definitely head of either MI6

-or MI5.

-OK.

-I seem to remember reading it in the press.

I think it's... I think it's MI6.

-OK.

-Yeah.

-Go with that?

-OK.

Going to go for MI6.

OK, MI6 for John Sawers.

It's the right answer, Eggheads, you've won.

The Shottery Bears defeated by the grizzly bears.

LAUGHTER

In that final round it's always a bit of a gamble, isn't it,

putting them first? I think you'd have been fine with

their questions, if you'd had the first set.

-Maybe.

-Yeah, you would have got Jedward and you would have got that

skeleton, I suspect, in the Natural History Museum.

But, hey, listen, thank you very much for coming along

and telling us all about Shottery

and, indeed, good luck with your studies in the future,

-thank you very much indeed, Shottery Bears.

-Thank you.

But the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and they still reign supreme over quiz land.

I'm afraid you won't be going with the £2,000.

That means the money rolls over to the next show.

And join us next time to see, then, if a new team of Challengers

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£3,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.